Bill - H? A? M? Beaten - as in physically beaten? Or rather beaten at a contest? Rich - as in having more money? More things easy to be turned into cash by selling? More wisdom?

Is the location relevant? The time? Is this a true story? Any other people relevant? The one(s) who beat Bill -- one person? More than one? Was he beaten, but not by a particular person? Is Bill famous (provided that this is a true story)?

Is time of day of the beating important? Day? Evening? Night? Very late night?

Did Bill report the beating to the police? Was the person(s) responsible apprehended? Did Bill receive compensation from his attackers? Did Bill receive notoriety as a result? And this resulted in him getting money Did Bill get some other benefit from the beating?

Other relevant people: One? More than one? HAM? HAF? Involved in the beating? Billís family? Co-workers?

Is Billís profession relevant? Is his nationality/country of residence relevant?

Is the time between the beating and Bill becoming rich relevant? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? Decades?

Is the specific monarch relevant? Is the specific monarch: Elizabeth I? James I? Charles I? Charles II? James II? William & Mary?

Is Bill's profession relevant?

Did the beatings lead directly to his becoming rich? Or was the main effect of the beatings to make him pay attention in school, thus gaining the skills he later turned to a profession, which made him rich?

Was Bill a whipping boy? for Charles I? Was it customary for whipping boys to be given lots of money at the end of their time as whipping boys? Or did Bill's becoming rich come about under special/specific circumstances?

At the risk of throwing this puzzle off topic, the answer to your question is absolutle, Kaylee. Read it many times, and I think I still have a copy in my 'books from my childhood that I need to go through' box. The questions here reminded me of the book, so I figured it couldn't hurt to ask :-) Also, given that we're basically the same age, we could probably start entire puzzles that the other (but not the older/younger ones hereabouts) would know the answer to right away... hmm... I think I may have to try that.

...I remember the cutthroats smelled like onions and garlic. Should have smelled like cheezburgur. *giggles at Kalira kitteh* =D Hehe, maybe we can continue this in email, or something. :D what do you think?

Kalira - Yes. William Murray was the whipping boy for Charles I. Whenever the young prince was naughty or disobedient it was poor William who was whipped. Charles and William became lifelong friends and Charles gave William the house and grounds at Ham in Richmond. Ham House is an excellent place to visit and remains the one of the finest Jacobean houses and gardens you can find anywhere.